Wounded
by Penname.Of.Doom
Summary: Death was the end for a reason. It was finality encompassed into life. She was dead. Gone. Not coming back. He could tell. His life was gone with her. His meaning. His essence and soul all taken with the death of the girl. And he could not join her.


_A/N: Alright this is my first hand at a Naruto fan fiction so let me know if I did alright. Have being reading for a while and thought that I might give it a go._

_Inspiration for this came from a piece of fan art for the pairing: NARUSAKU. The artist is amazing and the can be found if you remove the spaces: __h t t p: //mu se s i lv er .de v iant a rt. co m/art/Wo un d ed -8 68 623 81_

_I don't know if my story lives up to the master piece but either way, you should take a look at it._

_Enjoy._

_:)_

**Wounded **

Even with the rain that pelted against his back and neck, all he could hear was the sound of his blood rushing in his ears.

His heart beat was strong.

-_thump_-

His was still alive.

-_thump_-

He was still breathing.

-_thump_-

While she was not… - _thump thump thump_-

She had collapsed onto him, when her arms had no longer been able to hold her weight. The 'mighty' had fallen. Fallen onto him: of all people.

As her body had become pressed up against his, blood stained his already torn and reddened clothing, from the barrage of weapons that had been meant for him but now stuck out of her back.

The pouring water mixed with the red, diluting it to a lighter colour, but it could not rid the air of the rusty and salt filled scent that wafted up his nostrils and clogged his nose from the other smells.

His mouth was occupied with trying to keep her breathing. As he did a combination of kissing her and CPR. Trying to bring her back to life.

But her heart did not beat. It remained as motionless as the shinobi that had done this to her. The same one that was watching the couple and pondering whether to finish the job completely or just come back later.

To come back later would mean dealing with the boy's anger of their killing of the girl. To do it now whilst he was weak…that lost the point of the boy being a challenge. They had meant to kill him effortlessly. But Kami, by sorts had sent an intervention in the form of that girl.

Lowering their head to look at the shocked, but alive shinobi that was clutching onto the kunoichi, trying to resuscitate her and failing.

'_No_,' they thought, shaking their head. They would do best to respect Kami's wishes for the boy to stay alive.

With that the enemy, not even noticed by the boy, crept away into the shadows. Leaving his team mates drenched with rain. Expecting from that moment onwards that they were going to have to watch their back. For the boy, their teammate was going to want revenge for the death of the girl.

For the boy however, revenge was the furthest thing from his mind. He was still trying to make her breath. Trying to share his charkra, in order to bring back the flare of her own.

It was a futile effort. He could push air past her lips all he wanted. He could role over and start trying to perform the more formal CPR. He could cry out her name and plead with Kami to take him instead.

But death was the end for a reason. It was finality encompassed into life.

She was dead.

Gone.

Not coming back.

He could tell.

Bitterly, he could only hear his heart beat.

-_thump_-

-_thump_-

It should have being hers that was still going.

-_thump_-

She should be the one standing.

Not him.

It had never being him. So why did it have to be now?

-_thump…_-

The sounds of his own heart was fading away. Almost at the same pace the light in her eyes had left. Before they had become hard and dull stones. Mere echoes of the vibrancy that had once filled them.

His life was gone with her. His meaning. His essence and soul all taken with the death of the girl.

And he could not join her.

As her head had begun to sag against his chest and her breathing labored, she had looked his in the eye. His body was paralyzed as he realized that she was saying good-bye. He hadn't wanted to say good-bye. Especially when he believed that she couldn't die. The tough image she had given herself over the past few years, having tainted how many people could see her as invincible. When she anything but.

"Promise," she had choked half whispered, her voice so faint. Drowned out by the drumming rhythm.

-_thump_-

"No." He shook his head, knowing what she was going to ask. Out of all the things that their team mate had done, this was it. Their recklessness could not be tolerated any more.

"Please," she had begged him. "Please. I am already gone. I don't want you to die too. Someone has to be there. S-S—"

She had started to cough blood. Little droplets went everywhere and in his mind he was erasing their existence. Instead picturing her at optimum health, with rosy cheeks and large smile, showing off her white teeth. Her hair was not mattered and didn't have dirt or mud marring its natural colour. Her Jounin uniform was unspoiled. Green was green. Black would be black. Nothing would have the taint of red anywhere.

"Shhh," he'd soothed her. Implicitly trying to calm himself at the same time.

"No," she'd spoken, as soon as she had stopped coughing. A firmness that he hadn't heard in a long time laced her voice. Creating a mixture of a tone he couldn't help himself to listen to. "You have to promise me before it is to…t-"

She'd gasped. She was using to much air. This was taking too long. She was dying faster than she was able to convey her message to him.

Her last request of him, which she preyed to Kami he would fulfill.

"You have to-" her voice kept on getting trapped in her throat, along with the air she needed to breathe.

But she persevered. Her life was over and she was not going to let her weakness destroy his. "To promise me, promise me t-that you won't." One fumbled word in the whole sentence was such an achievement, but it had taken her strengths. The effects becoming obvious to her now.

Her brain was systematically shutting down from lack of oxygen and soft and faint alarm bells that managed to go off warned her to conserve her air supply. She ignored the instincts and continued to talk.

"Promise." One word and they both knew what she was asking.

"I can't," he said, leaning his forehead against her own. "Not after this. No, I won't let him get away with this. You shouldn't be…it should be me. Why? It should be me!" He pulled his head back and glared at her, angry that she was dying, angry at himself for letting her, angry that he had asked her to come on this mission with him. "Why did you have to save me?"

She was crying. He just couldn't tell because of the rain. It hurt her. It truly did. Why was he questioning her motives to save him? Did she even need a reason to save her precious person…her eyes widened as she mentally referred to him in such a way.

And she had her answer. Her personal reason why she had knowingly sacrificed herself, aware that how the direction of which the weapons were headed would mean a deadly blow. But if she had not dived in he would be dead. This was not allowed. He had so much to do. He was worth a hundred of her and more. He had to fulfill his dream. Bring about peace to the world.

It just made sense. He had to live.

She would not have it any other way.

She did not hesitate to tell him this either.

She spoke boldly. Since she did not have the strength as to so much as move her head let alone caress his scratched cheek, she had to give strength to her voice. So he would not doubt her.

"Because you are my precious person and long after this day shall remain so."

Her confession had little effect on him. He had heard the words, but had disregarded them. He was not going to think back and notice the statement until much later. Later been years and years into the future. A future that would lack her.

But it was the present and his own heart was in the moment.

His heart.

-_thump_-

-_thump_-

-_thump_-

Her heart.

-t_hump_-

-_thump…_-

…

…

…

-_thum…p_-

The beats were growing further and further apart. Her soul was trying to flee her body and she had not yet finished her task. Her purpose and reason for existence was not safe until it was done.

Looking him dead in the eyes for the_ last _time, she spoke her _last_ words, "Promise me that y-you won't go after him anymore. Promise me that you are going to g-g-g…." She had to clear her throat, speaking was starting to get painful and her vision of him was getting blurrier by the second. It was then or literally never.

"Go. Home. Live. Happy. Life…please. Promise me," she alternated between grunting and sobs. Her voice also had started off rather loud but as she had gone on speaking the volume and softened again.

He hated this. She was in pain because of him And there she was trying to make him feel better, while she was dying. The haunting familiarity of the situation made him want to smile. She was always giving, giving, giving. Never had enough time for herself. Always trying to make other people feel better.

And that was one of the reasons why it was going to make her death such a tragedy. As she had been endlessly giving people, such as him, had grown addicted to her presence in their life. Some people, like him completely relied on her. While others, for example him, needed her to remind them why they were shinobi again.

He needed her.

So much.

He couldn't survive without her.

Yes, his body would live on but his mind and sense of self would be wiped clean forever.

Which was why he could not agree to this promise.

"No," he shook his head and his lips hovered over hers, not quite making contact, but he could feel the erratic gushes of air that she inhaled and exhaled. "I can't promise that I'm not going to kill him. But I will promise," he paused and licked his lips. It was so hard. It was laughably almost killing him to say it. "I promise you, that I am going to go home…after I kill him. And I will try."

The rain had eased, or perhaps Kami was granting them solitude from the harness of nature and creating a bubble of softness around them. As they said farewell. One leaving for another world while the other would be sent on a journey of revenge and retribution.

"Bu-" She was cut off by his lips meeting her and the sound of lighting in the distance.

He closed his eyes as he moved his lips against her scarily cold ones, which were slowly moving back. What he did not know was that she kept her eyes open. Right up until the last millisecond. Taking in how his hair flopped over his head band ever since he had grown it out. How his robes clung and fitted his body to well these days ever since he had grown out.

Strong arms held her and kept her warm. His scent, kiss, body, his everything. Was warm. So opposite to how cold she was.

The rain slowly started back up again. The drops felt like ice daggers as they hit her face. They seemed to carry the final chill that would cause her to just rest her eyes as she tried to catch her breathe. Yes, just catch her breathe. While she kept on moving her lips languidly.

He didn't notice any changes until it dawned upon him that her lips were no longer moving.

His eyes sprang open and he hoped to be met with her own gorgeous orbs, but they had closed. His hand came up in a flash to stroke the side of her neck and felt at her pulse point.

Nothing.

That's when he heard it.

-_thump_-

-_thump_-

What was it?

-_thump_-

-_thump_-

His brow furrowed with confusion.

-_thump_-

-_thump_-

He pushed his hands against her pulse point again. Had he missed her pulse?

-_thump_-

-_thump_-

His hand came away.

-_thump_-

-_thump_-

He knew what it was.

-_thump_-

-_thump_-

…

…

…

His heart.

-_thump_-

-_thump_-

His mouth attached itself back to hers. Trying to give her his breathe.

Give her the breathe of his life.

The kiss of life.

Whatever would work, he wanted to make it happen.

Her heart was gone.

No longer beating.

-_thump_-

-_thump_-

Then why was his still working?

It should have gone with her.

He drew his head back and ran his hands through the stringy pieces of her hair. Relishing the texture. Breathing in the smell one last time. Ingraining it into his permanent memory.

Forever.

He was never going to forget her.

Not in this life.

Hopefully not in the next.

Assuming that Kami was merciful. Although that notion seemed questionable after what had just transpired.

Gathering some of his charkra into his feet, he used the extra strength to stand.

He did the formal CPR.

Actually cried over her death before he gathered his wits about him.

He sniffled from both the cold and the overflowing of emotions that still held control over his tear ducts.

He bent down and hesitantly wrapped a hand around her knees. Another one placed behind her back as he picked her up bridal style.

He hated how her body felt so cold.

But that's what she was now, he had to remind himself. It was just a shell that she had inhabited.

But he could not help but keep a strong grip on her body. Out of fear that it to might leave him.

He winced as her neck flopped back with his distorted movements. He stopped and placed a hand on her head. Not feeling at all repulsed to be touching her after she had died he placed to fingers on her eyelids and opened them. Getting a glimpse at her eyes.

Same colour. Same shape. But no life.

Her mouth also hung slightly open. Lips swollen from when she had being participating actively in the kiss with him. Her hands seemed to have fallen in such a way that it was almost like she was hanging onto him. Like she was alive. Or it could have been the stiffness that occurs to the body after death.

Not that she had been dead that long anyway.

Or had she?

He had no sense of time right then.

His whole world was focused on the body he carried. A body that still looked beautiful.

He decided to let her remain like that until he got back to Konoha. Where he was going to carry her. Back to the Hokage who would be seeing red, just as he was.

The Hokage would agree with him. She would let him seek revenge on the one who had done this. For more reasons than one.

But he had something to do first.

He had to get her home.

She deserved that at the very least.

And it was him, Uzumaki Naruto, who was going to make sure that it happened.

Haruno Sakura had given her life to save him.

As Uchiha Sasuke had tried to kill him.

She had saved him for once.

And in return he was going to kill Sasuke.

After he had done that he was going to keep his promise to her.

He would live.

But nothing was going to stop him from being truly alone.

_A/N: Reviews would be nice._


End file.
